 Spanish for health and human services
Guadalajara, Mexico
3 graduate credits in Nursing and International Studies or Spanish
July 19-Aug. 2, 2008
R. McKenna Brown
E-mail: rmbrown@vcu.edu, mw@vcu.edu
$795 + airfare + VCU tuition
Registration deadline: May 1, 2008
Program description and application [PDF]
Application for faculty [PDF]
The Office of International Education and the School of World Studies are pleased to offer a unique opportunity for students to study the impact of culture, migration and health systems on the health and well-being of individuals and communities for many newly-arrived Latino immigrants in the U.S. Guadalajara will be used as a case example.
Course and credit options:
3 credits in INTL/NURS 514 OR 4 credits in LGCC 405, 406 or 407 
Course description: This incredibly affordable program is made possible by VCU’s new partnership with the University of Guadalajara, the second largest university in Mexico and one of the major centers of higher learning in Latin America. Intensive Spanish language instruction is enriched through activities hosted by the University Center for Health Sciences (CUCS) whose outstanding programs include undergraduate and graduate degrees in dentistry, medicine, nursing, psychology and public health, as well as clinics and a major hospital serving the community. This program gives you a chance to see first hand the world of the rapidly changing client base in health and human services, and to acquire important professional skills.
This program will combine language and culture with an introduction to health and human services in contemporary Mexico. Participants will explore the relationship between health care in Mexico and the health status of recently arrived Latino immigrants. This 14-day trip to Guadalajara will include Spanish language immersion classes in the mornings and agency visits and lectures by experts on issues of local health, culture and history in the afternoons. Participants are required to participate in one pre-travel meeting and one meeting after the return home.
 Often nicknamed the “Cradle of Mexican Culture,” Guadalajara is the birthplace of mariachi music, charros, tequila and other symbols of Mexican identity. Though the nation’s second largest, it is a very livable city and the capital of the state of Jalisco. This region is also home to a significant portion of recent immigrants to the U.S. This program gives you a chance to see first hand the world of the rapidly changing client base in health and human services, and to acquire important professional skills.
Program cost: $795 + airfare + applicable VCU tuition
The program fee is $795 and includes the following:
- Accommodations
- Most meals
- Study visits and tours
- VCU administrative fees
- A small portion of the program director’s expenses.
- Application fee and deposit
- Pre-departure orientation
- International student identification card
The following are not included in the program fee. Students are responsible for:
- Airfare
- VCU tuition and fees
- Some meals
- Passport application fee
- Personal expenses during the program (estimated at $150-$200)
- Anything not specifically mentioned above
Please budget for these additional expenses.
Airfare: Airfare is not included. The professor will advise students of travel arrangements between the United States and Mexico.
 Eligibility: Students must have a 2.0 GPA in order to participate in the VCU summer study abroad program. The program director will evaluate the applicants according to relevant completed coursework and experience as well as professional and/or academic goals.
Registration deadline: May 1, 2008. Applications will be accepted until the deadline or until participant space is full.
Activities and excursions: Included in the activities is a walking tour of historic Guadalajara, visits to local museums and sites of cultural interest, and field trips to local hospitals, clinics and other health provider sites.
Accommodations and meals: Participants will be living with local families in single rooms. All meals are included most days.
Program director: The program will be led by R. McKenna Brown, Ph.D., Director of the VCU School of World Studies and a Professor of Spanish. He has extensive experience in Latin America having lived and worked there for more than 20 years.
Every effort is made to provide updated and accurate information at the time of publication. The sponsors reserve the right to make necessary changes to the programs and costs.
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